Abstract Art

This quiz addresses the requirements of the National Curriculum KS3 in Art and Design for children aged 11 to 14 in years 7 to 9. Specifically this quiz is aimed at the section dealing with understanding art movements and their influence on the world, and it focusses in particular on the Abstract Art Movement.

KS3 children will learn how to critically appraise works of art, using the correct terminology and drawing on their own opinions. The judgements they make will help to inform their own work, as will what they learn about the styles and techniques used by the artists they study.

The Abstract Art Movement is one that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality in its work, but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect. This kind of art may be based on a particular study or subject, but it may not be obvious what this starting point was or what the work is intended to portray as the forms have been simplified or changed in some way in order to create an abstracted version of it. This type of art is not to everyone's taste, nevertheless it has had a great influence on the modern art world.

There are many theories and ideas behind abstract art. Some people think that art should be created for it's own sake - in other words it does not serve a certain purpose or realistically portray the subject. Others think that art should be like music - a collection of colours, shapes and patterns which fit together to create an overall piece. Quite a lot of people find abstract art confusing or even annoying as its meaning is not always immediately apparent!

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